Retail Job Growth Remains Robust on Hound.com, Reflecting BLS Data

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The retail industry posted another strong month, adding 24,000 jobs in February according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report. Higher-than-average consumer spending spurred job growth in the sector, as reflected in hiring data on Hound.com.

Hound.com

Retail gets a bad rap for high turnover and lower salaries, but for those invested in staying in it for the long haul, the industry provides ample opportunities for advancement.

Pasadena, CA (PRWEB)March 23, 2013

Pasadena, CA – The retail industry continued to trend up, adding 24,000 jobs in February, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics job report. The sector has been helped along by robust post-holiday consumer spending, which has resulted in unusually strong growth for this time of year. The BLS report reflected retail sector hiring trends on Hound.com.

The retail sector continued to expand in February, based on the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics figures. In what has been a consistent bright spot in the labor market, retail trade added 24,000 retail jobs last month.

Some of the hiring is due to the nature of retail, which traditionally has a high turnover rate compared to other industries. Many people who end up working in retail do not stay in it for the long term, nor do they intend to. They might be temporarily trying to earn extra income, such as a teenager who picks up a job at the local burger joint for the summer. Many students work in retail to offset student loans, but their eventual goal is always to transition to a different industry. The few who do stay in the retail sector long-term are those dedicated enough to work their way up into management, where the compensation is greater.

In this difficult job market, however, many retail workers are choosing to stay on longer than they would under a good economy. The fact that hiring has picked up in the retail industry is the direct result of increased consumer spending, which has been particularly high for this time of the year. Retail growth typically climaxes during the holidays, and slows down at the beginning of the year. The fact that consumer spending has remained strong has been a strong incentive for retail stores to increase their recruitment efforts, especially for companies that may have held off hiring while the economy was slow.

Retail growth has been reflected in hiring data on Hound.com, a leading job site. As of the time that this press release was written, the site listed over 113,000 openings in the retail sector. Demand was split between entry-level positions for cashiers and sales associates, and more senior positions for store managers.

“Higher-than-normal spending reflects consumer confidence in spite of the political uncertainty that rang in the new year,” said Harrison Barnes, CEO of Hound.com. “This has translated directly into industry and job growth. Retail gets a bad rap for high turnover and lower salaries, but for those invested in staying in it for the long haul, the industry provides ample opportunities for advancement.”

About Hound

Hound.com is a job search site based in Pasadena, CA. It is a part of the Employment Research Institute and owned by A. Harrison Barnes.